FOR THE RED BEAN FILLING:

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1 cup dried red beans

2 cups water

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup honey

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

6 cups water, for steaming

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FOR THE BAO DOUGH:

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1 cup warm water

3 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons instant dry yeast

2 ½ cups cake flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil

1 teaspoon baking powder

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1. Wash and soak the dried red beans for 10 hours or overnight. They will double in size and yield around 2 cups of red beans.

2. To make the bao dough, combine the warm water and sugar in a small bowl until well combined. Add the yeast to the water-sugar mixture and stir. Leave the bowl in a warm, draft-free location until the mixture becomes frothy (similar to the froth in a cappuccino).

3. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the oil and yeast mixture. Stir until it forms a rough dough.

4. Using the palm of your hands, knead the dough for 10 minutes until the surface becomes smooth and elastic.

5. Place the dough in a well-oiled medium bowl, cover, and leave to rise in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours, until it has doubled in size.

6. While the dough is rising, drain the soaked red beans and place them in a pressure cooker. Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook on the bean setting (approximately 1 hour) until the beans are tender. If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can do this over the stove in a large pot over medium-high heat.

7. Add the sugar, honey, salt, and vanilla extract to the red bean mixture and roughly mash it with a potato masher. Place the pressure cooker on sauté mode and stir for a few minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture becomes thick and glossy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool

8. Once the dough has risen, place it onto a floured surface and flatten it into a round disk. Add the baking powder to the center, fold up the dough, and knead for another 5 minutes.

9. Divide the dough into 10 to 12 even pieces, rolled out into 4-inch disks. Make sure to roll the edges of each disk slightly thinner.

10. Place a tablespoon of the red bean filling in the center of each circle. Gather the edges of the dough and bring them together, enclosing the filling. Twist to seal the dough.

11. Place the buns onto squares pieces of parchment paper, making sure the twisted side is facing downward. Your buns should be smooth on the top. Place the buns at least 1 inch apart in a bamboo steamer and allow them to rise an additional 20 to 30 minutes in a warm place.

12. While the dough is rising, at the 23-minute mark, place 6 cups water into a wok and bring it up to a rapid boil. Make sure there is enough water to steam the buns but not enough to touch the bottom of the bamboo steamer.

13. Place the bamboo steamer over the wok, ensuring the bamboo steamer fits tightly on the edges of the wok, and steam for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until the buns have risen and the dough has fully cooked. Treat the buns similarly to a cake, so no peeking during the steaming process as they will deflate due to the sudden drop in temperature.

14. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TIP: If the yeast mixture does not froth, this indicates that the yeast has not been activated or is too old. I suggest discarding the mixture and starting fresh.

TIP: I usually double or triple the red bean mixture